Railway-switch



Patented May 23, i899.-`

yH. B. mcHoLs. RAILWAY SWITCH.

(Application filed Har. 21, 1899.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. NICI'IOLS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,458, dated May 23., 1899.

Application iiledMarch 21,1899. Serial No. 709,931. (No model.)

T0 aZZ wwm t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. NICHOLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to a railwayswitch, and more particularly to that type 0r character adapted for use for street-railways, and in such connection it relates to the construction and arrangement of such a switch.

The principal objects of my invention are, first, to provide in a street-railway switch a tongue having its heel provided with a downwardly-projecting boss preferably integral therewith, said boss extending into the baseplate of the switch, in conjunction with a cover-plate formed on its upper face with the necessary ridges and depressions to constitute the converging continuation of the meeting rails, said cover plate extending over the tongue a considerable distance, but only in contact with said tongue at its forward edge to afford an additional bearing for the switchtongue beyond its pointof pivotal connection with the' switch-block, whereby the pivotal point of the switch is relieved of strain and accidental turning of the tongue by the thrust of the flange of car-wheels is avoided; and, second, to provide in such a switch, in conjunction with the depressed and ridged cover-plate, openings in the plate in the depressed portions thereof, and the said openings increasing in taper from the base on the under side of said plate to the top on the upper depressed portion of said plate, whereby accumulations of extraneous matter beneath.

said plate about the heel of said switch will be forced upward by the manipulations of said switch through said tapered openings, and thereby said switch about the heel portion maintained always in good and easyworking conditioni My invention, stated in general terms, consists of a railway-switch constructed and arranged in substantially the manner hereinafter described and claimed.

The nature and scope of my invention will be more fully understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in which- Figure l is a top or plan view of a streetrailway switch embodying main features of my present invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view, enlarged, of that portion of the switch at which the cover-plate is secured. Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of the cover-plate removed from the switch. Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of Fig. 3, looking toward the left side of the cover-plate. Fig. 5 is a similar view-looking toward the right side of said plate. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional View on the line 7 7 of Fig. 2; and

Figs. 8 and 9 are cross-sectional views, en-

larged, taken, respectively, on the lines 8 8 and 9 9 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, a represents the switch-block, forming a continuation or connection between the main or straight rail b and the branch or curve rail d. The block a is recessed, as at a', in which recess the tongue e of the switch is adapted to oscillate. This tongue e at its heel portion is provided with a downwardly-projecting boss e', forming the pivot for the tongue, and this boss e its into a corresponding recess in the'base a2 of the switchblock a. The heel of the tongue e has its upper face cut away, as at e2, to receive a cover-plate f, which fits over the tongue e and is pivotally secured to the switch-block a, and there is left a sufficient space between said tongue and a certain portion of said plate, so as to prevent friction between said tongue and plate, and the said plate is only in contact with said tongue at the forward edge e3 thereof, so as to afford an additional bearing for the switch-tongue beyond its point of pivotal connection with the switch-block. This cover-plate f has an angular side f', adapted to register with the bias ends of the rails b and d, and it also has a curved side f2 extending on the heel portion of the tongue eaconsiderable distance beyond the pivot e. of said tongue. The tongue e at its countersunk portion e2 is adapted to swing around the curved side]2 of the cover-plate. The plate f has on its upper face two depressions f3 and f4 and two ridges f5 and f, forming a continuation of the two converging rails b and d, so as to permit the ange of the wheel of the vehicle IOO to travel over the plate f in either of said depressions f 3 or f4, while the periphery of said AWheel bears upon either of the ridges f5 or fr.

1 5 f a considerable distance beyond the point at which the heel of the switch is pivoted and so as to contact with the switch at its forward edge c3 only the said pivotal point of the switch is relieved of strain and likewise is prevented accidental turning of the tongue by the thrust of the wheels of a car or other vehicle, since the car or other wheels are carried by my construction and arrangement of a switch along the cover-plate f of the switch far in advance of the pivotal point of the switch.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a railway tongue-switch, apswitchblock, a tongue having its heel portion countersunk at its upper face, a boss depending from the lower face of said countersunk heel portion and adapted to enter the switch-block to pivot the tongue thereto, and a cover-plate having on its upper face ridges and depressions to form continuations for the meeting` rails of the switch, said cover-plate adapted to be secured to the switch-block over the countersunk portion of the tongue and said cover-plate extending over said tongue a considerable distance, but only in contact with said tongue at its forward edge to afford an additional bearing for the switch-tongue be= youd its point of pivotal connection with the switchbloclgwhereby the pivotal point of the switch is relieved of strain and also is prevented accidental turning of the tongue, substantially as described. p

2. In a railway tongue-switch, a switchblock having a recess, a tongue pivotally connected to the switch-block and adapted to os cillate in its recess, said tongue having its up per face countersunkat its pivotal connection with the switch-block, a cover-plate adapted to fit over the countersunk portion of the tongue and in contact therewith only at its forward edge to aord a bearing for the switch-tongue beyond its point of pivotal connection with said block, whereby strain on the pivotal point of said switchis relieved and accidental turning of the tongue avoided, the upper surface of said cover-plate being provided with ridges and depressions to form a continuation for the meeting rails of the switch, and vertical tapering openings'formed in said cover-plate and so. arranged as that by manipulation of said switch extraneous matter will be forced through said openings from about the heel portion of said switch and be readily removed from the depressions of said plate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY B. NICHOLS.

Witnesses:

J. WALTER DoUGLAss, THOMAS M. SMITH. 

